Roadway Accidents Involving Large CMVs and Recreational Vehicles

Considering the size of some of the larger recreational vehicles, or RVs as they are called, it is easy to assume that the occupants riding inside these vehicles have some of the best protection on the highway. But it is instructive to point out that compared to even larger commercial motor vehicles, like 18-wheelers and heavily-loaded moving vans, an RV may only be slightly more safe than a large SUV. At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we recognize the extreme financial burden that a serious highway injury accident can place on victims and their families. We are prepared to help with recovering damages in the form of medical bills, long-term nursing care and other accident-related costs.

Quite frankly, few people could argue that the lure of the open road can be intoxicating for some. The promise of the great outdoors and over-the-road travel adventures have enticed many an American family to hit the highways and byways of this great nation. In fact, every year, millions of individuals and families each in search of new and different sights ply this country’s highways, interstates, beltways and parkways from coast to coast. There is something to be said about leaving the work-a-day world behind for a week or two and just go exploring.

Of course, one common thread to those large-scale family vacations can often be a recreational vehicle or RV. From smaller pop-up tent trailers to charter bus-sized RVs, the range of vacation travel conveyances is staggering. For a portion of the population, buying or renting one of those large recreational vehicles is the only way to see the USA. Many of these vehicles are, quite simply, self-propelled apartments on wheels. They provide the occupants with a home away from home, allowing comfortable living while being hundreds or thousands of miles away from home.

But despite their large size, RVs cannot protect their occupants from injury or death in some kinds of traffic accidents. Of special note would be those collisions that happen between an RV and a large commercial motor vehicle (CMV). While great for camping and family outings, RVs are by their very nature lumbering vehicles with relatively poor handling characteristics. Avoiding a crash, especially with an 18-wheeled tractor-trailer rig, can be next to impossible.

As Maryland commercial trucking injury attorneys, Lebowitz & Mzhen can appreciate the attractive qualities of these large vehicles, especially when looking at the amenities they offer well beyond the simple rustic camping site. RV campgrounds, nationwide, display a wide variety of convenient and comfortable living quarters in the form of motor homes and fifth-wheel trailers; however, as useful as these vehicles are when parked, on the roadway they can often prove a handful in terms of maneuverability, even for the most seasoned RV owner.

Because of the difficult handling posed by many medium- and large-sized motor homes and other RVs, which can be made even worse in adverse weather conditions and when traveling on unfamiliar roads, it can be critical that drivers in other vehicles that share the roadway with any large RV exercise a fair amount of care when passing, following or otherwise operating near the RV. Sadly, when an aggressive or blatantly negligent driver operates his or her vehicle in an unsafe manner near a large motor home or RV trailer, the results can be tragic.

Many contributing factors can have an impact on an RV-related traffic accident. And while passenger cars can pose significant danger when their drivers are less than cautious, a driving mistake or deliberate move by the operator of a large commercial motor vehicle in the vicinity of an RV can lead to much worse results. It goes without saying that piloting a large RV motor home, which can weigh many times that of a family sedan, can be challenging even under the best of circumstances.

An experienced personal injury lawyer, especially one who has familiarity working with victims of CMV-related traffic accidents, knows the potential extent of property damage and personal suffering that can come from the negligent operation of a commercial truck. Whether on the expressway, beltway or city streets, dangerous situations can crop up when an 18-wheeler big rig tangles with an RV being driven by a person who may not be prepared for a potentially deadly traffic situation. At high speeds, the margin for error on anyone’s part can prove disastrous.

At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, our skilled legal staff has the necessary knowledge and trial experience to help those victims of trucking-related traffic accidents involving recreational vehicles. Our team knows how easily a person can find himself in an emergency room following a bad commercial trucking crash. Whether the incident happens on a Maryland highway, along the beltway outside Baltimore or on a Washington, D.C., street, victims of negligence-related roadway accidents deserve to be compensated for their injuries and associated damages.

Each case that our attorneys take on is treated as if it will go to trial. We endeavor to prepare our clients’ injury claims cases to the best possible end. Being able to argue a successful trucking injury lawsuit requires diligence, investigative legwork and extensive knowledge of Maryland’s personal injury and insurance statutes. Not only does preparation help to influence a successful outcome, but it also can sometimes result in an out-of-court settlement, which can take the place of a lengthy trial.

As experienced Baltimore traffic accident attorneys, the legal team at Lebowitz & Mzhen takes into account the client’s injury-related medical expenses, as well as other economic losses in preparation of a automobile, motorcycle or commercial trucking injury case or wrongful death suit. We know that serious injuries -- such as compound fractures of the legs or arms, damage to internal organs, and traumatic head injuries, just to name a few -- can alter permanently the course of an individual’s life.

As skilled personal injury lawyers, Lebowitz & Mzhen knows the importance of proving negligence on the part of the truck driver or his employer, as well as any other third parties whose action or inaction may have contributed to the injuries sustained by our client. In instances where a victim of a trucking-related RV accident is badly hurt, we recommend that the injured party(s) contact a qualified personal injury lawyer as soon as is practical. The professional litigation team at the law offices of Lebowitz & Mzhen is ready, willing and able to go over the details of your commercial truck-related injury accident. Please call our toll-free number (800-654-1949) to make an appointment for a free, no-obligation consultation. You may also email either Jack Lebowitz or Vadim Mzhen to arrange a meeting with one of our experienced lawyers. We are ready to help.

Throughout the process [of the motor vehicle collision case] you were available, responsive and up front. You were available for my questions, and my need for reassurance, and when the opportunity arose to better the outcome of my case, you did not shy away from the extra work. You have proven yourself to be an honest, realistic and caring advocate for the little guy in need. I will refer your firm to any who may be in similar need. John C.

★★★★★

I can't thank you enough for your efforts and dedication to resolving my case. I also want to thank you for your consistent professional manner, touched with that extra personal care that I sensed whenever we communicated. . . . You are a wonderful person and I wish you continued success. Again, thanks for everything. Hallie W.

★★★★★

I am proud to have had Lebowitz & Mzhen represent me in an automobile personal injury case I was involved with. Not only did they come through with a settlement worth far more than I thought possible, the entire office was always friendly, knowledgeable, and ready to answer any questions I had. Should an incident like this occur again, I will not hesitate to contact Lebowitz & Mzhen for their counsel, advice and representation, and I would wholeheartedly recommend them to anyone seeking honest and effective attorneys. Mark B.

While all of the cases identified in the Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers website under Our Successes are cases that Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers has handled for its clients, Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers does not represent any of the clients in cases mentioned in our blog. Our law firm is reporting on current events that will likely be of interest to our readers. The content provided is not intended as legal advice.

Our past results are not a guarantee of future results, and they should not be used to predict an outcome in any future case or matter. The merits of each case must be determined based upon the facts and the applicable law of each particular case. Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers is a law firm with lawyers licensed to practice law in the State of Maryland, and a lawyer licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C.

We serve the entire state of Maryland, including the following localities: Baltimore City and Baltimore County, including Towson, Reisterstown, Randallstown, Hunt Valley, Catonsville, Dundalk, White Marsh, and Owings Mills; Anne Arundel County, including Annapolis and Glen Burnie; Prince George's County, including Upper Marlboro, Hyattsville, and Bowie; Carroll County, including Westminster and Eldersburg; Montgomery County, including Rockville, Germantown, and Bethesda; Frederick County, including the city of Frederick; Wicomico County, including Salisbury; and Charles and Calvert Counties. We also serve Washington, D.C.